Showcase frame



Jan. 23, 1968 A. G. DlACK 3365,25?

SHOWCASE FRAME Filed Oct. 18, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Era. 2.

(III

VIII

INVENTOR.

ARTHUR G. D/AcK BY HA5 A7TORA/EYS HA ERAS, K/EcH, RUSSELL 6: KERN Jan.23, 1968 A. G. DIACK 3,365,257

SHOWCASE FRAME Filed Oct. 18, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

FIG. 6.

$5 0 2&1

a a 9 66a /6Za 56 #44 INVENTOR. ARTHUR G. D/A CK 5r ///.5 A TTOE/VE Y5HARE/57 K/EcH, RussELL 6: KER/v United States Patent O T 3,365,257SHOWCASE FRAME Arthur G. Black, 1049 E. 65th St., Inglewood, Calif.90302 Filed Oct. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 496,850 3 Claims. (Cl. 312-140)ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A showcase-frame having corners eachcomprising a post member and two rail members respectively havingsquare-cut ends positioned in corner forming relation, and a cornerconnector having three prongs respectively plugged intolongitudinally-extending sockets in the post and rail members andsecured to such members by screws, the post and rail members havinglongitudinally-extending channels to receive corresponding edges ofglass panels forming walls of the showcase. The lower ends of the postmembers are telescoped over upstanding lugs on base connectors locatedat the corners of a rectangular base. The lower ends of the post membershave flanges concealing the base connectors and the corners of the base.Rail members seated on the adjacent edges of the base have flanges flushwith the flanges on the post members and overlying and concealing theedges of the base, these rail members also havinglongitudinally-extending channels receiving the lower edges of the glasspanels.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION The present invention relates ingeneral to showcases, or the like, and, more particularly, to a showcasehaving the general construction and advantages set forth in myco-pending patent application Ser. No. 467,468, filed June 28, 1965, thedisclosure of this co-pending application being incorporated herein byreference the same as though it were fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION As general background for the present invention,my aforementioned co-pending application discloses, and the presentinvention contemplates: a showcase having a construction such that itcan be manufactured, shipped, assembled and installed at but a fractionof the cost of conventional showcase manufacturing, assembling, shippingand installing procedures; a showcase frame which requires no weldingand subsequent grinding, polishing, cleaning, plating, and the like,which can be shipped disassembled to reduce shipping costs drastically,which is easily assembled and glazed at its destination, preferablyutilizing glass obtained locally to avoid high glass shipping costs, andwhich can be assembled and glazed at its destination quickly and easilywith but a few screws, or the like; a showcase frame which has aperfectly smooth exterior, all adjacent external surfaces being flushwith each other, which has rounded corners at waist level to preventinjury to customers and employees, and which has no external screws,bolts, or the like, to mar the desired perfectly smooth exterior; a showcase frame comprising easily connectible post and rail members havinglongitudinally extending panel-receiving channels into which thecorresponding edges of the glass panels may simply be slipped as theframe is assembled, thereby eliminating any necessity for fittin andattaching molding strips, clips, or the like, for securing the glasspanels, and also eliminating the tremendous labor costs of, and theunsightly appearance resulting from, the countless screws needed forattaching such separate glass securing elements; a showcase framewherein the various post and rail members have the requiredlongitudinally extending panelreceiving channels formed integrallytherewith so that 3,365,257 Patented Jan. 23, 1968 each frame member isa single piece with no assembly of separate components required, thevarious frame members preferably being aluminum extrusions anodized,enameled, or plated, as desired; a showcase frame wherein the variouspost and rail members have square-cut ends, as opposed to mitered ends,engageable with complementary upper, corner connectors and lower, baseconnectors to produce the desired smooth, flush external contour, itbeing possible to furnish the various post and rail members in stocklengths which can be cut to the required lengths by the showcasemanufacturer readily since only square cuts are required; and a showcaseframe wherein the upper, corner connectors have prongs respectivelyplugged into longitudinally extending sockets in the post members andthe corresponding, upper rail members, and wherein the base connectorsare secured to a suitable base and have upstanding lugs respectivelyplugged into the lower ends of the longitudinally extending sockets inthe post members.

SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF INVENTION Summarizing the invention, it comprisesa showcase frame which includes: a rectangular base having notches inits edges at the respective corners thereof; connectors respectivelylocated in the notches and having upstanding lugs; means respectivelysecuring the connectors to the base; upstanding post membersrespectively including longitudinally extending sockets having lowerends telescoped over the upstanding lugs, and respectively includinglongitudinally extending panel-receiving channels oriented laterallyparallel to the corresponding edges of the base; means respectivelysecuring the lower ends of the post members to the upstanding lugs; thepost members including longitudinally extending, outer flanges havingdepending lower ends overlying and concealing the connectors; railmembers seated on the base and extending along the respective edgesthereof and having longitudinally extending panel-receiving channelsregistering with corresponding panel-receiving channels in the postmembers; the rail members having longitudinally extending, dependingouter flanges overlying and concealing the edges of the base and flushwith the outer flanges of the post members; and means respectivelysecuring the rail members to the base.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a showcaseframe, having the foregoing characteristics, which includes means forsecuring the base connectors to the base very easily and simply, andwhich includes means providing a smooth external contour for concealingthe base connectors and the edges of the base to produce a clean-cut andpleasing appearance. Another advantage of providing the showcase framewith means for concealing the base connectors and the edges of the baseis that it is unnecessary to provide the base with finished edges,thereby saving considerable expense.

More particularly, an important object of the invention is to provide aflat base, of heavy plywood, or other suitable material, having notchesin its edges at the respective corners thereof, and to provide baseconnectors respectively located in the notches and secured to the base.Preferably, the notches for the base connectors are simple, rectangularnotches, the base connectors having complementary configurations. Withthis construction, the base can be prepared for the installation of thebase connectors simply by making a rectangular cutout at each corner, noexpensive mortising operations, or the like, being required.

Regarding the means for concealing the base connectors and the edges ofthe base, an important object is to provide 0 the post members and thebottom rail members with flush depending flanges overlying andconcealing the base cona nectors and the edges of the base. With thisconstruction, the base connectors, the screws, or the like, for securingthem to the base, and the raw edges of the base, are all completelyconcealed by the flush, depending flanges to provide a clean-cut andpleasing appearance.

More particularly, an object of the invention is to pro vide the postmembers with longitudinally extending, perpendicular outer flanges whichdefine the upright edges of the showcase and which have depending lowerends overlying and concealing the base connectors and, in someinstances, adjacent portions of the edges of the base. A related objectis to have the depending lower ends of the outer flanges of the postmembers extend below the internal or inner portions of the post members,which inner portions include the panel-receiving channels and are seatedon the upper surface of the base and/or the upper surfaces of the baseconnectors.

The post members may be one-piece extrusions, in which event it isnecessary to remove the lower ends of the inner portions of the postmembers, as by milling or routing, in order to provide the outer flangesof the post members with depending lower ends for concealing the baseconnectors. An important object in this connection is to provide postmembers of two-piece construction, one piece providing the desired outerflanges with their depending lower ends, and the other piece providingthe inner portion of the post member. With such a two-piececonstruction, the outer piece of each post member is simply made longerthan the inner piece thereof to provide the outer piece with the desireddepending outer flange ends for base-connector concealment purposes. Thelower ends of the inner pieces of the post members are seated on theupper surface of the base and/or the upper surfaces of the baseconnectors.

Still another object is to provide the bottom rail members withlongitudinally extending, depending outer flanges which overlie andconceal the edges of the base and which are flush with the lower ends ofthe outer flanges of the post members. This construction thus providesthe showcase frame with a flush, depending skirt completely concealingthe base connectors, their means of attachment to the base, and the rawedges of the base, which is an important feature of the invention.

The foregoing objects, advantages, features and results of the presentinvention, together with various other objects, advantages, features andresults thereof which will be evident to those skilled in the showcaseand analogous arts, may be achieved with the exemplary embodiments ofthe invention described in detail hereinafter and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a vertical-front showcase embodying theinvention;

FIG. 1a is a reduced plan view of a showcase base embodying theinvention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated bythe arrowed line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary isometric view illustrating details of a lowerfront corner of the showcase frame of the invention;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a base connector of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary isometric view of a rear post member of theinvention; and

FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are views respectively corresponding to FIGS. 2, 3,4 and 5, but illustrating another embodiment of the invention utilizingtwopiece posts or post members.

DESCRIPTION F PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF INVENTION In FIGS. 1 to of thedrawings, the numeral 19 designates a vertical-front rectangularshowcase which embodies the invention. It will be understood, however,that the invention may also be embodied in a slant-front showcase, or inshowcases having configurations other than rectangular.

Considering the showcase 10 in a general way initially, it includes arectangular base 12, shown as mounted on a rectangular pedestal 14providing toespaces 16 along at least the front and sides of theshowcase. Although the base 12 may be formed of any suitable material,it is preferably formed of wood, and may comprise a relatively thickrectangular sheet of plywood.

The frame of the showcase 10 includes front and rear posts or postmembers 18 and 20 secured to the base 12 by base connectors 22 in amanner to be described. Front, side and rear bottom rails or railmembers 24, 26 and 28 respectively extend along the front, side and rearedges of the base 12, between the corresponding posts 18 and 2%, and aresecured to the base in a manner which will be described. The showcaseframe further includes front, side and rear top rails or rail members30, 32 and 34 respectively extending along and defining the front, sideand rear edges of the top of the showcase 10. The upper ends of theposts 18 and 20 and the ends of the top rails 30, 32 and 34 areinterconnected at the top corners of the showcase It) by cornerconnectors 36 in the manner described in my aforementioned co-pendingapplication.

The top of the showcase it) is formed by a top glass panel 38 carried bythe top rails 30, 32 and 34 in the manner described in the co-pendingapplication mentioned. The front of the showcase 1G is defined by afront glass panel 4i) the respective edges of which are disposed inpanel-receiving channels in the front posts 13, the front bottom rail 24and the front top rail 30, such channels extending longitudinally of therespective frame members and being laterally oriented parallel to thefront surface of the showcase. The channels in the front posts 18 forthe front glass panel 4% are identified by the numeral 42 and thechannel in the front bottom rail 24 for this panel is designated by thenumeral 44.

Similarly, the front posts 18, the rear posts 26, the side bottom rails26 and the side top rails 32 are provided with longitudinally extendingchannels laterally oriented to receive the corresponding edges of sideglass panels 46. More particularly, the channels in the front and rearposts 13 and 2t) for the vertical edges of the side glass panels 46 aredesignated by the numerals 48 and 50, respectively, and the channels inthe side bottom rails 26 for the lower edges of these glass panels aredesignated by the numeral 52.

The rear of the showcase it} is provided with bypassing sliding glasspanels 54 in the manner disclosed in detail in my aforementionedco-pending application. More particularly, each rear post it? isprovided with channels 56 in side-by-side relation for the respectiverear glass panels $4. The rear bottom rail 28 is provided withside'by-side channels 53 for the lower edges of the rear glass panels54. Similar side-by-side channels, not shown, are provided in the reartop rail 34, for the upper edges of the rear glass panels 54, referencebeing made to the cope'nding application mentioned for a specificdisclosure.

The edges of the front and side glass panels 4%} and 46 are set inplastic channels 6d pressed into the corresponding channels 42, 44, d8,58 and 52 in the corresponding frame members. Such plastic channels holdthe front and side glass panels 49 and 5-6 firmly in place in a verysimple manner which is conducive to easy installation since no glazingcompounds, or the like, are required. The channels 56 in the rear posts20 for the rear glass panels 54 contain elastomeric bumper strips 6?.for cushioning closing movement of the rear glass panels.

The base connectors 22 are provided with upstanding lugs 64 respectivelyplugged into the lower ends of longitudinally extending sockets 66 and68 in the front and rear posts 18 and 2d. Preferably, the upstandinglugs 64 and the sockets 6d and d8 are of square, or similar noncircular,cross section so that the posts 18 and 20 are firmly keyed to the baseconnectors 22 when the posts are pressed downwardly onto the upstandinglugs. The front and rear posts 18 and 20 are secured to thecorresponding base-connector lugs 64 by self-tapping screws 70 and 72,respectively. The screws 70 are oriented diagonally and are threadedinto the corresponding baseconnector lugs 64 from the interior of theshowcase, these screws constituting two of the small number of screwshaving heads visible from the interior of the showcase. The screws '72are threaded into the corresponding baseconnector lugs 64 from the rearchannels 56 in the rear posts 20, being concealed by the correspondingbumper strips 62. It will be noted that the front and rear posts 18 and20 are secured to the corresponding base connectors 22 with no externalscrews.

The front, side and rear bottom rails 24, 26 and 28 are secured to thebase 12 by means of screws in the corresponding channels 44, 52 and 58,one of the screws in the channel 52 being visible in FIG. 3 and beingdesignated by the numeral 74. All of the screws for securing the bottomrails 2 26 and 28 to the base 12 are thus completely concealed, noexternal screws being necessary.

All of the foregoing structure of the showcase is substantiallyidentical to that disclosed in my aforementioned co-pending application.Consequently, reference is made thereto if a more complete descriptionis desired.

One of the important features of the present invention resides in themanner in which the base connectors 22 are secured to the base 12. Asshown in FIGS. 1a and 3, the base connectors 22 are rectangular and aresimply disposed in rectangular notches 80 in the edges of the base atthe respective corners thereof. The upstanding lug 64 of each baseconnector 22 is located at one end of such connector, and the connectorsare so oriented in their respective notches 80 that the upstanding lugs64 are located at the corners of the base 12. The connectors 22 aresuitably secured to the base 12 within the notches 80, as by means ofscrews 82, FIG. 3, extending horizontally through the connectors intothe base. Preferably, the vertical dimension of the bodies of theconnectors 22 is equal to the thickness of the base 12, and thehorizontal dimensions of the notches 80 equal the respectivecorresponding horizontal dimensions of the bodies of the connectors.Thus, the body portions of the connectors 22 occupy the volumes removedfrom the base 12 in forming the notches 80.

The foregoing construction provides a very simple and inexpensive way ofmounting the base connectors 22 on and securing them to the base 12.More particularly, preparation of the base 12 to receive the baseconnectors 22 requires only notching of the four corners of the base.This notching operation is a simple one, compared to a moitisingoperation, for example, and can be performed by relatively unskilledlabor. Consequently, this base-connector combination of the inventionrepresents an important feature.

Considering another important aspect of the invention, the outer orexternal portions 84 and 86 of the respective posts 18 and 20 are angleshaped to provide the respective posts 18 and 20 with outer flanges 88and 90. At the lower ends of the respective posts 18 and 20, the outerflanges 88 and 90 depend below the inner or internal portions 92 and 94of the posts, such inner portions having square-cut lower ends seated onthe base 12 and the bodies of the corresponding base connectors 22. Theouter flanges 88 and 90 depend below the lower ends of the innerportions 92 and 94 a distance at least equal to the thickness of thebase 12 and the height of the bodies of the base connectors 22 so as tocompletely conceal the base connectors and the adjacent portions of theedges of the base, as will be clear from FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings.

Preferably, the posts 18 and 20 are cut from stocklength extrusions. Inorder to provide the depending outer flanges 88 and 90 for concealingthe base connectors 22 and adjacent portions of the edges of the base12, it is necessary to remove enough of the inner portions 92 and 94 ofthe posts 18 and 20, at the lower ends of such posts, to provide thenecessary length for the depending portions of the outer flanges 88 and90. This may be accomplished simply by means of a milling or routingoperation, or the like.

It will be noted that one of the outer flanges 88 of each front post 18is provided with a longitudinally extending rib 96, such rib cooperatingwith an opposed rib 98 on the corresponding inner portion 92 to form oneside of the corresponding socket 66. Similar ribs 100 and 102 areprovided on one of the outer flanges 90 of each rear post 2-8 and on thecorresponding inner portion 94 of such rear post. Also, this same outerflange 90 of each rear post 20 is provided with another longitudinallyextending rib 104 cooperating with an opposed longitudinally extendingrib 186 on the corresponding inner portion 94 to limit insertion of thecorresponding side glass panel 46.

Preferably, the ribs 96, 100 and 104 are not removed from the dependinglower portions of the corresponding outer flanges 88 and 90. Toaccommodate the portions of the ribs 96, 100 and 104 on the dependingportions of such outer flanges 88 and 90, the bodies of the baseconnectors 22 are provided with two complementary grooves 108 onopposite sides thereof. More particularly, the rib 96 fits in one of thegrooves on one side of the corresponding base connector 22. Similarly,the ribs 100 and 104 fit into the grooves 108 on one side of the baseconnector 22 corresponding thereto. Further, the ribs 96 and 100 are solocated that each is adapted to fit into the same groove 108 in one ofthe base connectors 22. With this construction, and by providing twogrooves 108 on each side of each base connector 22, the base connectorsare fully inter-changeable, there being no need for providing differentbase connectors for the front and rear posts 18 and 20, and there beingno need to provide right hand and left hand base connectors for theposts 18 and 20 at the left and right sides of the showcase 10.

Still another important feature of the present invention is that thebottom rails 24, 26 and 28 are respectively provided with flush,longitudinally extending, downwardly depending flanges 110, 112 and 114which extend downwardly from the top of the base 12 the same distance asthe depending outer flanges 88 and 90 of the posts 18 and 20, and whichare flush with such depending outer flanges. The depending flanges 110,112 and 114 of the bottom rails 2.4, 26 and 28 cover the portions of theedges of the base 12 which are not covered by the depending outerflanges 88 and 90 of the posts 18 and 20. Consequently, the dependingflanges 88, 90, 110, 112 and 114 provide the base 12 with a continuousperipheral skirt which completely conceals the base connectors 22 andthe edges of the base itself.

The foregoing construction is important because it eliminates anynecessity for providing the base 12 with finished edges. For example,the base 12 may be a relatively thick sheet of plywood with raw edgessince such edges are completely concealed. Furthermore, since the baseconnectors 22 and their securing screws 82 are completely concealed bythe depending outer flanges 88 and 90 of the posts 18 and 2.0, there isno necessity for providing the base connectors with finished surfacessuitable for external use, and the base connectors may be socured to thebase 12 very simply by means of the horizontal screws 82.

Since the posts 18 and 20 are one-piece extrusions, it is necessary, ashereinbefore discussed, to remove the lower ends of the inner portions92 and 94 thereof in order to provide the outer flanges 88 and 90 withdepending lower ends for concealing the base connectors 22 and adjacentportions of the edges of the base 12. FIGS. 6 to 9 of the drawingsillustrate posts which eliminate the necessity for removing such innerpost portions by utilizing two-piece constructions.

Showcase a Referring to FIGS. 6 to 9 of the drawings, illustratedtherein is a showcase 10a which is very similar to the showcase 10.Consequently, only the differences will be described. To correlate thevarious components of the showcases 1t and 10a, the same referencecharacters will be used for corresponding components, except that thereference characters for the components of the showcase 10a will includethe suifix a.

The principal differences between the showcase 10a and the showcase 10are that the showcase 10a includes two-piece front and rear posts 18aand 20a and includes base connectors 22a omitting the grooves 168 of thebase connectors 22.

More particularly, the front and rear posts 18a and 20a respectivelyinclude outer pieces 84a and 86a which respectively provide the posts13a and 20a with mutually perpendicular outer flanges 38a and a havingdepending lower ends concealing the base connectors 22a and adjacentportions of the edges of the base 12a. Additionally, the front and rearposts 18a and Mia respectively include inner pieces 92a and 94a whichare seated on the top surface of the base and/ or the top surfaces ofthe base connectors 22a.

The outer and inner pieces 84a and 92a of each front post 18a cooperateto form the panei-receiving channels 42a and 48a and the longitudinallyextending socket 66a for the corresponding base-connector lug 64a.Similarly, the outer and inner pieces 86a and 94a of each rear post 20acooperate to provide the panel-receiving channels 50a and 56a and thelongitudinally extending socket 68a for the corresponding base-connectorlug 64a. Thus, it will be seen that the front and rear posts 18a and2th: are very similar to the front and rear posts 18 and 20,respectively.

In order to secure the outer and inner pieces 84a and 9.2a of each frontpost 1&1 together, these pieces are respectively provided withsurface-abutting flanges 122a and 124a secured together by one or morescrews 126a, the heads of the latter being concealed in thepanel-receiving channel 48a. Also, the inner piece 92a is provided witha flange 128a disposed in a groove 136a in the outer piece 84:: to keythe two pieces together in the proper relative positions.

Similarly, the outer and inner pieces 86a and 94a of each rear post 20aare provided with surface-abutting flanges 132a and 134a securedtogether by one or more screws 136a the heads of which are concealed inthe panel-receiving channel Sila. To key the outer and inner pieces 86aand 94a together in their proper relative positions, 21 flange 138a onthe inner piece is disposed in a groove 140a in the outer piece.

In making up the post 18a, the inner piece 92a is cut sufiicientlyshorter than the outer piece 84a to accommodate the thickness of thebase 12a so that the outer flanges 83:: will conceal the correspondingbase connector 22a and adjacent edge portions of the base It isnecessary to remove a small portion of the connecting flange 122a on theouter piece 840, but this can be done very simply with readily availabletools. The rear post 20a may be made up in a similar manner.

In all other respects, the showcase litla is substantially identical tothe showcase it) so that no further description is required.

Various approaches may be used in glazing the showcases It) and Ella.Such approaches are fully described in my aforementioned co-pendingapplication so that it is unnecessary to repeat them herein.

As will be apparent from the foregoing description, the presentinvention materially reduces manufacturing, assembling, shipping andglazing costs by providing a showcase frame which requires no weldingand subsequent grinding, polishing, cleaning, plating, and the like,which can be shipped disassembled, or various components of which can beshipped in stock lengths and cut to size at the destination, and whichis easily assembled and glazed at the destination, preferably utilizingglass obtained locally to avoid high glass shipping costs. The inventionfurther provides a showcase frame which can be as sembled and glazed atits destination with but a few screws, or the like. The invention stillfurther provides a showcase frame which has a perfectly smooth exterior,all adjacent external surfaces being flush with each other, which has noexternal screws, or the like, and which utilizes a depending peripheralskirt for concealment of the base connectors and the edges of the base.This smooth, flush external construction, with no external screw heads,provides a pleasing appearance and is easy to clean. Additionally, theinstallation of the base connectors in simple notches in the corners ofthe base greatly facilitates and minimizes the cost of assembly.Furthermore, the various posts and rails disclosed require only simple,square-cut ends, such square-cut ends producing only hair-line joints attheir abutments with other components.

Although exemplary embodiments of the invention have been disclosedherein for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that variouschanges, modifications and substitutions can be incorporated in suchembodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention asdefined by the claims which follow.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a showcase frame, the combination of:

(a) a rectangular base having notches in its edges at the respectivecorners thereof;

('b) connectors respectively located in said notches and havingupstanding lugs;

(c) means respectively securing said connectors to said base;

(d) upstanding post members respectively including longitudinallyextending sockets having lower ends telescoped over said upstandinglugs, and respectively including longitudinally extendingpanel-receiving channels oriented laterally parallel to thecorresponding edges of said base;

(e) means respectively securing the lower ends of said post members tosaid upstanding lugs;

(f) said post members including longitudinally extending, outer flangeshaving depending lower ends overlying and concealing said connectors;

(g) rail members seated on said base and extending along the respectiveedges thereof and having longitudinal extending panel-receiving channelsregistering with corresponding panel-receiving channels in said postmembers;

(h) said rail members having longitudinally extending, depending outerflanges overlying and concealing the edges of said base and flush withsaid outer flanges of said post members; and

(i) means respectively securing said rail members to said base.

2. In a showcase frame, the combination of:

(a) a rectangular base having notches in its edges at the respectivecorners thereof;

(b) connectors respectively located in said notches and havingupstanding lugs;

(c) means respectively securing said connectors to said base;

(d) upstanding post members respectively including longitudinallyextending sockets having lower ends telescoped over said upstandinglugs, and respectively including longitudinally extendingpanel-receiving channels oriented laterally parallel to thecorresponding edges of said base;

(e) means on the inner sides of said post members respectively securingthe lower ends of said post members to said upstanding lugs;

(f) said post members including longitudinally extending, outer flangeshaving depending lower ends overlying and concealing said connectors;

(g) rail members seated on said base and extending along the respectiveedges thereof and having longitudinally extending panel-receivingchannels registering with corresponding panel-receiving channels in saidpost members;

(h) said rail members having longitudinally extending, depending outerflanges overlying and concealing the edges of said :base and flush withsaid outer flanges of said post members; and

(i) means in said panel-receiving channels in said rail membersrespectively securing said rail members to said base.

3. In a showcase frame, the combination of:

(a) "a rectangular base;

(b) connectors respectively located at the corners of said base andhaving upstanding lugs;

(-c) means respectively securing said connectors to said base;

(d) upstanding post members respectively including longitudinallyextending sockets having lower ends telescoped over said upstandinglugs, and respectively including longitudinally extendingpanel-receiving channels oriented laterally parallel to thecorresponding edges of said base;

(e) means respectively securing the lower ends of said post members tosaid upstanding lugs;

(f) said post members including longitudinally extending, outer flangeshaving depending lower ends;

(g) rail members seated on said base and extending along the respectiveedges thereof and having longitudinally extending panel-receivingchannels registering With corresponding panel-receiving channels in saidpost member-s;

(b) said rail members having longitudinally extending, depending outerflanges overlying and concealing the edges of said base and flush withsaid outer flanges of said post members; and

(i) means respectively securing said rail members to said base.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 692,670 2/ 1902 Johnson 312l401,714,233 5/1929 Morris 312140 2,580,029 12/1951 Krauss 3l2-1402,765,886 10/1956 Tedalti et al. 312140 X FOREIGN PATENTS 192,478 2/1923 Great Britain. 336,685 10/1930 Great Britain.

BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner.

I. L. KOHNEN, Assistant Examiner.

